1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network device setting management system, a network device setting management method, and a recording medium recording thereon a network device setting management program, all for managing in an integrated manner setting information including passwords, routing information and IP addresses individually held by various network devices connected to a computer network, such as hubs and routers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, setting information for various network devices connected to a computer network is instantaneously reflected in that network as it is entered by the user of a specific input unit connected to that network.
For instance, the Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-51488 discloses a system comprising a device information database for storing information including the IDs and model denominations of network devices such as terminals and routers; a device management table for storing the password of each such network device; a model-by-model management table for registration of setting modules to be executed for individual network devices; and a routing information setting unit for executing setting modules and automatically setting routing information for each network device on a designated route, wherein a route is designated with a mouse on a network configuration map displayed on a display unit, and routing information is thereby automatically set for network devices on that route.
The technique described in the Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-51488 involves the problem that, because network device setting information entered by a user is instantaneously reflected in the network as it is, if the user enters wrong setting information by a typing error, communication trouble will occur on that network.
There is the further problem that, in the event of such communication trouble, it cannot be found out what kind of typing error the user committed to enter the wrong setting information or what kind of setting information the communication was based on.
There is the still further problem that no consideration is given to restoration of the network to its state of normal communication in the event of communication trouble.
An object of the present invention is to prevent communication trouble attributable to the entry of wrong setting information due to a typing error by a user from occurring in a network by temporarily storing entered network device setting information in a memory unit and having that information reflected in the network after its contents have been confirmed by the user who entered it instead of having the setting information entered by the user reflected instantaneously in the network as it is.
Another object of the invention is to hold the history of network device setting information and, should any communication trouble attributable to wrong setting information due to a typing error by a user occur, to reference that history to find out the setting information in use when normal communication was taking place in the network.
Still another object of the invention is to make possible, should any communication trouble attributable to wrong setting information due to a typing error by a user occur, ready restoration of the normal state of communication for the network.
A first network device setting management system according to the invention, intended for management by a computer connected to a network of setting information for a plurality of network devices connected to that network, the computer comprising: a device setting information table in which setting information for the plurality of network devices is registered; and a device control unit for entering, in response to an instruction to register setting information, the identifier of a network device the instruction to register refers to and setting information for having it reflected in that network device; registering these items of information, matched with each other, in the device setting information table; entering, in response to an instruction to have the setting information reflected, the identifier of a network device the reflection instruction refers to; reading setting information corresponding to the identifier out of the device setting information table and displaying it on an input/output unit; and transmitting, upon entry of a notice of confirmation of the displayed setting information, the displayed setting information to the network device to have it reflected therein.
A second network device setting management system according to the invention, intended for management by a computer connected to a network of setting information for a plurality of network devices connected to that network, the computer comprising: a device setting information table in which setting information for the plurality of network devices is registered; an alteration history table for recording the registration history of setting information in the device setting information table; and a device control unit for entering, in response to an instruction to register setting information, the identifier of a network device the instruction to register refers to and setting information for having it reflected in that network device; registering these items of information, matched with each other, in the device setting information table and the alteration history table; entering, in response to an instruction to alter the setting information, the identifier of a network device the alteration instruction refers to; reading at least one item of setting information corresponding to the identifier out of the alteration history table and displaying it on an input/output unit; entering the altered setting information; updating the setting information for the pertinent network device, registered in the device setting information table, with that altered setting information; adding the altered setting information to the alteration history table; entering, in response to an instruction to have the setting information reflected, the identifier of a network device the reflection instruction refers to; reading setting information corresponding to the identifier out of the device setting information table and displaying it on an input/output unit; and transmitting, upon entry of a notice of confirmation of the displayed setting information, the displayed setting information to the network device to have it reflected therein.
A third network device setting management system according to the invention is a version of the second network device setting management system, wherein the computer is provided with a schedule management table for recording the time of reflection of setting information registered in the device setting information table; and the device control unit enters, in response to an instruction to have the setting information reflected, the identifier of a network device and the reflection time of the setting information the reflection instruction refers to; registers these items of information, matched with each other, in the schedule management table; reads the identifier of a network device having reached the reflection time out of the schedule management table; reads setting information corresponding to the read-out identifier out of the device setting information table and displays it on an input/output unit; and transmits, upon entry of a notice of confirmation of the displayed setting information, the displayed setting information to the network device to have it reflected therein.
A fourth network device setting management system according to the invention is a version of the third network device setting management system, wherein the computer is provided with a backup setting information table for registering a backup of setting information for the network device and a device monitoring unit for monitoring any communication trouble that may occur in any of the network devices; and the device control unit enters, in response to an instruction to alter the setting information, the identifier of a network device the alteration instruction refers to; reads at least one item of setting information corresponding to the identifier out of the alteration history table and displays it on an input/output unit; enters the altered setting information and the backup setting information; updates the setting information for the pertinent network device, registered in the setting information table, with that altered setting information; adds the altered setting information to the alteration history table; registers the backup setting information in the backup setting information table; receives from the device monitoring unit the identifier of a network device with which any communication trouble has occurred; reads setting information corresponding to the identifier out of the backup setting information table; and transmits the read-out setting information to the network device to have it reflected therein.